Training

Training activities are interactive and match the significant expertise of the intended audience with subject matter, method, and objectives. Some key training activities will be based on knowledge derived from research findings, and others will inform our ongoing research. The combined purpose of the training and knowledge translation activities is to ensure that the RTC engages all stakeholders and actors in its activities, keeps them informed of our progress and findings, and is an earnest partner in the effort to improve school-to-work transition support interventions for transition age youth and young adults with serious mental health conditions.

Training Projects

Post-doctoral Training

We have recruited a recent graduate from doctoral programs related to human or educational services research. The training will include focused readings on the development stages of transitioning into adulthood, on disciplines across services that may be less familiar to the individual, and on research about these services. Additionally, she will work with one mentor from the multiple researchers at the Transitions RTC, and define a research question to be addressed, building on the funded research of the RTC.

Community of Practice

We will partner with the RRTC on Vocational Rehabilitation and the National Center for the Dissemination of Rehabilitation Research (NCDDR) to implement a Community of practice (CoP). The CoP will involve multiple stakeholders that can work together to develop actions that will improve rehabilitation services for TAYYA with SMHC. This activity will focus on improving the school-to-work transition in the state of Massachusetts.

Pre-service Training for TAYYA with SMHC for Graduate Students in Special Education

The goal of this project is to prepare special education practitioners to work with TAYYA with SMHC. We will develop and deliver a curriculum on the transition needs of students with serious mental health conditions for masters level secondary special education teachers at the University of Oregon.

Clubhouse Staff & Members in Engaging Young Adults for School & Work Transitions

The goal here is to enhance and refine the Clubhouse Young Adult Training Curriculum currently used in a Worcester, Massachusetts clubhouse. The changes will come from features identified as appealing or hindering three vocational support programs gained from the “Appealing Features of Vocational Supports for Latinos and Non-Latinos TAYYA Consumers,” research project.

State-of-the-Science Conference

During year four, the Transitions RTC will hold a state of the science conference. The goals of the conference include: increasing the capacity to conduct research and evaluate complex services systems; provide advanced training in cutting edge research methods; create a network to support learning and collaboration between researchers, policy-makers, practitioners, and families, the target audiences of the Center. This conference will be held as one track of the Florida Mental Health Institute (FMHI) annual Children’s Mental Health and Policy Conference, an annual conference that has been running for over 20 years: http://rtckids.fmhi.usf.edu/cmhconference/

We will work with Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law to update an earlier paper written by Chris Koyanagi and colleagues that analyzed Federal policies that impact transition-age youth with serious mental health conditions (Judge David L. Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, 2005; Davis & Koyanagi, 2005). This white paper will serve to disseminate to policy makers and program planners a blending of and current state of practice of federal initiatives in this area. This project will focus on programs that can address financial and policy barriers, as well as provide opportunities for transition-aged youth and young adults to pursue education and career goals.